http://www.mini-madness.com/index.as...ROD&ProdID=295

I'm checkin this out..
And I know many people get aftermarket FMIC's, which I am also looking at, but for price differences in this air diverter and a larger FMIC and effectiveness, I feel like the air diverter might be the better bang for your buck.

There are general worries about changing to a larger FMIC and pressure drops due to the larger internal volumes and such related things in general with FMICs
but I was thinking about getting the forge or helix fmic- but now looking at this, it diverts more air to the stock fmic, while also spraying it to reduce temps...

what are your thoughts guys?

 

there is no way to electronically control when it sprays....so you have to use your rear window sprayer...but then the question is when to use it? So then you need temperature sensors and you would have to watch them and spray it yourself or hook up a full throttle switch. If you are actually tracking your car it would be useful in some situations but not all the time. But for roll racing or some other illegal activity it could be useful...im sure someone could get creative with it but i seems like everyone has went with bigger intercoolers because after you hook it all up its about the same price.

 

Good points.
How about without the sprayers though, just getting the more air down there, im sure having more surface area / internal volume is going to help cool the air more as it travels through a larger FMIC, but in terms of getting more air down there to the stock unit, i wonder how the differences would compare. Without the sprayers Its definitely something possible to fab up in a machine shop...

 

get the inter cooler on group buy or on sale. you wont get the same result with the diverter.

 

evidence?

its just as good as me saying- go back to your stock fmic, the increased volume drops your pressure level by 1.5 psi....

he says she says

 

BostonR56S,

I had the Alta diverter (not the Madness) before changing to the Helix IC. So this is not direct compare but they should be close in principle.

I ran 5 track days with the diverter and 11 track days with the Helix so far. I measured intake temps only. Also, I have used the Alta on the road for approx 8K and the helix for approx 5 K miles. The Alta diverter intake temps range from 4-12 degrees above ambient while the helix was 2-6 degrees. The Alta, I think does increase air flow into the IC a little. I did not have the scanguage at the time to get a reading stock and with the Alt diverter.

Nine of the track days was at wgi so I know the speed right before hard braking at the "bus stop" after the "ess" is about 5 mph more with the intercooler than the diverter. While I do not have dyno results, I think in the real world, the helix IC is significantly better than the Alta diverter.

I will let you have the Alta diverter for $25 if you want to try it at low cost. Assuming you are in Boston, I am quite close to you in location and can perhaps can do a side by side compare between your car and mine. PM me if interested.

 

Thanks Slinger! See, now this is much more informative than "get this, dont get that" I appreciate it. I agree that a FMIC would be more effective than the diverter as well, I just wanted to see the reasoning behind someone else saying so. I'm just not sure for the cost effectivness comparison between the two. It sounds like they are significantly different. I mean I won't be doing track time anytime soon (so I think right? haha) but, regardless I have definitely felt heat soak for sure.

Anyways, so where are you located? I live in MA, but right now I'm living in my condo in CT because I go to school at UConn... Are you in CT possibly?

 

I am in CT right now. Are you in Storrs?

 

I am! Send me a PM!

 

Group buy on Helix FMIC's. Drops charge air temps much much better than this hack stuff.

 

After market Intercooler!!!!

 

I second those who said buy an aftermarket FMIC.

For $580...the helix IC is one of the best mods for the money in my opinion. I always thought the stock one worked fine...but the difference with the helix is night and day. Then again I am running higher boost and live where it's 110 everyday, but I can see it helping a great deal with stock tune too. Your IAT's would prob stay damn near ambient no matter what you do. I have a more detailed post on the helix ic thread if you didn't see it.

So, don't waste your money on the diverter, save it towards a FMIC!!